Chapter 2 - The Red Flashing Lights
The heavy knock on the front door echoed through the hallway before the torn pieces of paper even settled on the table. The sudden sound froze everyone in place. Dad froze with his fist clenched, Mom’s mouth fell open, and Erin’s smug expression twisted into pure disbelief. None of them had believed I would actually follow through. They were accustomed to a Claire who cowered, who wept quietly in her bedroom, who swallowed every insult in exchange for a tiny crumb of familial acceptance.
I walked calmly past Erin, ignoring the frantic glare she leveled at me, and pulled open the heavy oak door. Standing under the rain-slicked porch awning were two individuals: a professional process server holding a thick manila folder and a uniformed Seattle Police Department patrol officer.
"Claire Bennett?" the officer asked politely, adjusting his waterproof jacket against the damp chill.
"Yes, Officer Davis. Thank you for arriving so quickly," I responded evenly. "I called dispatch twenty minutes ago regarding an ongoing domestic altercation and a physical assault inside my private residence."
Dad appeared in the hallway behind me, his face turning an alarming shade of crimson. "Officer, there's no assault here! This is a minor family dispute between sisters. My oldest daughter is having a vindictive episode because she wants to evict us! She's making up wild stories to cause trouble!"
Officer Davis stepped past the threshold, his gaze instantly locking onto my face. The bright foyer light illuminated the swollen left side of my jaw, the split lower lip, and the smear of dried blood. His jaw tightened. "Sir, step back. Ma'am, did someone strike you tonight?"
"My sister, Erin Bennett, struck me across the face inside the dining room five minutes ago," I answered, keeping my hands visible and still. "I have the entire interaction recorded on audio. Furthermore, she threatened to unlawfully seize possession of this property, which is titled exclusively under my name."
Erin rushed into the foyer, her expensive heels clicking loudly against the hardwood. "She provoked me! She insulted my business, she disrespected our parents, and she called me a freeloader! She's lying about the deed! This is our family estate!"
The process server stepped forward without showing an ounce of emotion, handing a sealed white envelope directly to my father, then another to my mother, and finally tossing one onto the table in front of Erin. "Mark Bennett, Diane Bennett, and Erin Bennett. You have been officially served with formal notices to vacate, along with an emergency restraining order summons."
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Officer Davis turned back to Erin, his hand resting casually near his utility belt. "Miss, step over here. You are currently being investigated for domestic violence assault in the fourth degree. You have the right to remain silent. If you take one more step toward the victim, I will place you in handcuffs immediately."
The reality of the handcuffs sent Erin stumbling backward into Mom's arms. For the first time in her pampered life, consequences had knocked on her front door, and her charm couldn't charm away the badge.
